The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 161

The words drove into Penelope Lancaster's chest like an ice pick, silencing her completely. Unworthy? The very same Evelyn she had always looked down upon?

On the television, Evelyn's clear, steady voice echoed, "I'm just a doctor."

Lawrence Lancaster closed his eyes and let out a long, silent sigh. This girl really kept a tight lid on things. Yet, strangely, he didn't feel any anger at the deception. Instead, a wave of profound relief washed over him—an unspoken pride for the young woman he had watched grow up. It was a pride heavily tainted with disappointment toward his own son and the Lancaster family's current state.

(The Sullivan Manor, Arthur Sullivan's Residence)

Arthur Sullivan's room smelled faintly of sandalwood. The elderly patriarch wasn't watching the live broadcast. Instead, he had his reading glasses perched on his nose, meticulously scrolling through a tablet. He was reading an in-depth foreign article about "Dr. Rose" and her humanitarian efforts in East Africa, forwarded by an old friend, complete with a classified internal briefing. He read incredibly slowly, absorbing every word.

Stephen Sullivan was summoned by the butler. He stood before his father, his face still a chaotic mix of shock from the broadcast and a lingering trace of anger.

"Dad, did you see it? Evelyn is simply—" Stephen couldn't help but burst out, his tone indignant.

"I saw it." Arthur slowly raised a hand, cutting his son off. He took off his reading glasses and wiped them deliberately with a soft microfiber cloth. His gaze, as deep and still as an ancient well, fell on Stephen. "I not only saw it, but I know more than you do, and certainly more than you think."

Stephen froze.

Stephen was stunned by his father's harsh reprimand, all the color draining from his face. In his initial shock at the news, he had subconsciously started plotting how to use his daughter's soaring reputation to salvage the Sullivan family's recent business slumps, perhaps even to regain the upper hand in their delicate relationship with the Lancasters...

"Listen to me clearly," Arthur said, hammering every syllable into Stephen's chest. "From now on, you will offer Evelyn nothing but care—no manipulation. You will offer support—no coercion. If she chooses to return home, that is her grace. If she keeps her distance, that is her right. Staying out of her way and not causing her trouble is the greatest help we can offer her, and the best way to protect ourselves! Do you understand?"

Under his father's piercing gaze and severe warning, a layer of cold sweat broke out on Stephen's back. All his scheming thoughts were extinguished like a candle doused in ice water. He swallowed hard and lowered his head. "...Understood, Dad."

Arthur watched him, his tone softening slightly but retaining its undeniable authority. "Good. Remember, she isn't just Evelyn Sullivan anymore; she is Dr. Rose. The level she operates on is no longer something a merchant family like ours can freely comment on or cling to. All we can do is hold our ground, avoid embarrassing her, and stay out of trouble."